I am the Way: Finding the True Keys to Happiness through Jesus Christ

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Eva Kokinos

Have
you bought the latest fitness DVD? Have you picked up the latest issue
of Oprah Magazine? Have you purchased that magic weight-loss pill which
gives you a wonderful figure and a perfect life? Lately, we have been
taught that the keys to a happy life lie in riches, power,
self-indulgence, magic products, and greed. If you take a look at MTV
or even shows like Desperate Housewives, our society has become one
where each person looks out for "Number 1". Why should I do ANYTHING if
it doesn't benefit me? The road to being happy and successful is lined
with products, gadgets, advice, and those we push aside to get what we
want.

But where does that lead
us? Ultimately, we notice that those who try to reach the highest for
power, money, and fame often fall the hardest. Temporary joys,
solutions, and luxuries become hurdles and road blocks to the true path
of joy and contentment. This is where we, as Christians, were given the
most wonderful blessing: the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ, through His teachings, life, and resurrection, becomes
the star that guides us to our true path of happiness and fulfillment.

We
all have received advice or suggestions on how to live a better life.
Time and time again, we are being sold or convinced about the quickest
and most innovative techniques to "live life to the fullest." But,
there always seems to be a new and improved product just around the
corner. Unlike these trends and fads which come and go, Jesus offered
us teachings which are eternal and are consistent throughout the Holy
Scriptures. For example, Jesus did not just hand out a "magic pill"
which made people feel better about themselves and others. But, He did
teach us about how to love God and love one another. He did teach us
how to take care for those who are less fortunate than we are. He also
taught us how to pray and keep ourselves spiritually fit and healthy.
There are no products on any "infomercial" which can offer us
substantial results like the lessons of Jesus Christ.

There
is nothing worse than taking advice from someone who does not live
according to those same suggestions. Typically, we lose trust in that
person and their advice. Christ, to use a cliché, practiced what He
preached. Christ's actions, coupled with His teachings here on earth,
are a clear picture of how each of us can obtain a life of peace, joy,
and love. For instance, Christ taught us in the Gospel of Matthew that
the greatest commandment is to love God and to love each other. Jesus
Christ did not just teach this lesson, but He lived and preached by
this lesson. This is why we read that Christ broke bread with the
sinners as well as the righteous. This is why Christ performed many
miracles before the eyes of the people. Furthermore, you see Jesus
Christ embracing His mission to die on the cross, resurrect, and give
us the gift of eternal life because of His love for the Father and all
humankind.

Finally,
Christ is our ultimate example of self-sacrifice and unconditional love
through His crucifixion and resurrection. The fact of life is that
nothing comes easily. Society is always trying to find the quickest,
easiest way to make money, get a beautiful body, and cater to our own
personal needs. Our culture teaches us that it's best to focus on what
we want rather than do for others. But people quickly realize that all
blessings come through sacrifice and hard work. The path to salvation
paved by Christ's sacrifice. Jesus Christ did not just resurrect, but
had to endure humiliation, torture, and betrayal. Christ's crucifixion
and resurrection serves as our opportunity for inheriting eternal life
and becomes the ultimate lesson in humility, obedience, and
unconditional love of ALL humanity.

The
bottom line is this: the way to happiness, and the way of Jesus Christ
is love. Jesus Christ shows us the way through His light. It is out of
love that Christ offered us the word of God and teachings of prayer,
fasting, charity, and humility. It is love that Jesus Christ expressed
through "walking the walk and talking the talk." In other words, Christ
shows us the way to happiness and righteousness by living the way He
preached. And of course, Christ shows us the way to glory and happiness
through His crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus' sacrifice shows us
what can be endured and achieved through love.

So
what is our call to action? Finding our way in this life means to
continue learning about Christ, as well as learning about other things.
We are not perfect, and we have a great deal to learn about life. We
can learn through the Holy Scripture, the writings of the Church
Fathers, and attending the holy services of our Church.

Finding
our way through Christ means we must not only call ourselves
Christians, but we must BE Christians. We must not only tell people
what we believe. Orthodox Christians must be a walking Gospel. Our
actions should teach, inspire, and motivate as much as our words do.
Therefore we can step up in our parishes, jobs, families, and schools
to witness our faith, volunteer to work, teach Sunday School, or be a
youth advisor.

In addition, we must take
action and find our way through Christ by living for God and for each
other rather than just for ourselves. We are a community of faithful,
and we share this beautiful life with many other human beings. True
success and acclaim comes through hard work, faith, and working for the
good of others. So, we are called to find our way through Christ by
being a servant rather than pushing our way to the top. We can serve
our co-workers, our communities, our schools, and our families through
our time, labor, talents, and resources.

The
end result of finding the path of happiness through Jesus Christ
becomes one of love and inclusiveness rather than the cutthroat world
of selfishness and greed. We never need to follow movie stars, music
stars, sports stars, or television stars if we follow our own star.
Just as the wisemen were led to Christ, we should find our way through
the darkness by the shining light of Jesus Christ.

Eva
Kokinos is a graduate of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology
and serves as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit.